Pakistan’s foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said that India once again rejected United States efforts at mediation in July this year, reiterating its consistent position that dialogue with Pakistan can only be bilateral.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Dar disclosed details of conversations he had with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the context of Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military action in May following the April 20 terror attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
🚨Big Confession By Pakistan!
— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) September 16, 2025
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says India had denied any 3rd party mediation with Pakistan.
When Pak asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about 3rd party mediation with India as Trump claims, Rubio denied saying India says it's "Bilateral… pic.twitter.com/77PvyfbSK1
According to Dar, Washington conveyed a ceasefire proposal during the conflict. “When the ceasefire offer came to me through Secretary Rubio on May 11 at 8.17 am, I was told that ‘very soon, there will be dialogue between you and India at an independent place’,” Dar said.
He added that during his bilateral meeting with Rubio in Washington on July 25, the US official confirmed India’s refusal to accept any third-party involvement. “He said, ‘India says it is bilateral’,” Dar recalled, underlining that the American initiative did not succeed.
Dar’s comments follow earlier claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington had played a role in brokering peace between India and Pakistan in May. New Delhi has consistently denied those assertions, maintaining that talks with Pakistan will only be pursued directly and without third-party mediation.
The Pakistan foreign minister stated that while Islamabad was open to external mediation, India’s position remained unchanged. “We don’t mind bilateral but dialogues have to be comprehensive — terrorism, trade, economy and Jammu and Kashmir,” Dar said. He also admitted that Pakistan had reached out to several global capitals during Operation Sindoor to seek support.
“We must appreciate the very positive role US played during the India-Pakistan war. I talked almost 60 times to world global capitals before the 7th of May when we had the air battle and after 10th of May when we had the ground battle,” he told Al Jazeera.
Dar further said that the international community supported peace efforts. “I know that the overwhelming majority, whether they are Muslim countries or non-Muslim countries, they want to see peace, diplomacy and dialogue,” he added.
